Wanting to Be Right Is Wrong

Over the past 10 years, Chris Cook has spent his career in the construction industry. He has a Bachelor's of Science in Industrial Technology Management with an emphasis in Building Construction Management and Master's of Science in Project Management. He is an accredited PMP. Follow more of Chris's insights at his blog EntrePMeur.

  Career Development   Communications Management   Estimating   Leadership   Talent Management  

“A person will use his thinking to keep himself right…thinking is no longer used as an exploration of the subject area but as an ego support device.”
– Edward de Bono

Dr. Edward de Bono, a leader in direct teaching of thinking, gives us some advice on being and staying “right.” If you are concerned with “right” and “wrong,” your ego becomes an obstacle. Thinking should remain for exploring new, creative ideas and not to boost your ego via “out rhetoric-ing” someone.

Project managers have a responsibility to their teams to be a leader. Leaders put pressure on themselves to be right and mistake-free. Mistakes make it look like you do not know what you are doing. How many times have you been a part of a project where that is the case? I bet every project.

Each new issue brings forth a new solution. Creating solutions and putting out fires becomes an everyday occurrence. Are these solutions derived from a project manager’s brain only? Of course not. It takes a team of individuals to successfully run a project.

Being “wrong” means you have a strong team around you. The members bring different perspectives and insights to an area you may not be as well-versed in. This advantage should be utilized at every angle. Having to be right all the time is a detriment, not a benefit.

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